Girdis RQ Crew Are Grinners Winning Melges 32 NSW States

Day three of the 2011 SLAM Melges 32 States on Lake Macquarie and crews awoke to a blustery North Westerly wind.

Racing started earlier at 11am in about 15-20 knot winds.It was all to play for heading into the final two races.

The Melges 32’s spent the day delighting in spectacular downwind 18 knot rides, crews backed up on the rail as these impressive boats provided some exciting thrills and spills for spectators.

The team aboard Brad Sewell Breezin was off to an impressive start in the first race and lead for the majority of the race.Tactician Adam Beashel picked the shifts and placed Breezin in front until a small tear in the kite on a hoist turned ugly shredding the spinnaker.Quick crew work and a spinnaker change meant they only dropped two places giving Steve Girdis Funnel Web the win and Kim Williams Rock andRoll a second.

The wind had built for the final race and was gusty; Breezin went port off the start line over to the eastern shore and crossed the fleet with a shift off the point putting in a strong faultless performance for their second win of the series, followed by Steve Girdis Funnel Web and Angus Reid Maxstar.

A day of ideal Melges conditions and carnage meant the club was abuzz while crews packed up.Three boats on equal points for a podium place kept teams guessing until the presentation when Australian Fleet President Kim Williams announced the placegetters.